Lamp of variable light intensity and colour

ABSTRACT

A lamp is disclosed including a support base supporting a cylinder formed of a plurality of different colored cylindrical sectors, a movable support for an incandescent bulb on the interior of the sectors for positioning the bulb along the length of the cylinder as desired to provide a light effect of desired color with a second embodiment employing arcuate sectors extending along the length of a cylinder and being of different colors with incandescent lamps being provided for rotational positioning behind and in alignment with desired arcuate sectors for providing a desired light effect and in a third embodiment a spherical shell formed of plural different colored sectors is provided enclosing an incandescent bulb with the sectors being adjustable pivotally about the axis of the sphere for providing desired aesthetic light effects.

United States Patent [191 Fiorenzo et al.

3,743,828 July 3, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 188,865

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 21, 1970 Italy 3592 A/7O [52] US. Cl. 240/10 R, 240/l0.1, 240/49 [.51] Int. Cl. A47g 33/16, F21p 1/02 [58] Fieldof Search 240/10 R, 10.1, 49v

[56 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,824,270 9/1931 Holzrnan 240/49 X 2,608,779 9/1952 Joy 240/49 X 1,417,457 5/1922 Cook 240/49 2,041,412 5/1936 Homrighous.. 240/3.l 1,938,002 12/1933 Amen 240/3.l

240/3.l X McWhorter 240/49 X 11/1962 1 Smith 12/1907 Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Monroe l-l. Hayes Att0rneyT-homas B. Van Poole, Humphries et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A lamp is disclosed including a support base supporting a cylinder formed of a plurality of different colored cylindrical sectors, a movable support for an incandes cent bulb on the interior of the sectors for positioning the bulb along the length of the cylinder as desired to Nathaniel A.

provide a light effect of desired color with a second embodiment employing arcuate sectors extending along the length of a cylinder and being of different colors with incandescent lamps being provided for rotational positioning behind and in alignment with desired arcuate sectors for providing a desired light effect and in a third embodiment a spherical shell formed of pluraldifferent colored sectors is provided enclosing an incandescent bulb with the sectors being adjustable pivotally about the axis of the sphere for providing desired aesthetic light effects.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures Patented July 3, 1973 3,743,823

- BY g z T RNm s INVENTORS' LAMP F VARIABLE LIGHT INTENSITY AND COLOUR The present invention relates to a lamp of variable light intensity and colour.

Various types of lamp, both of the table and hanging kind, are known in which it is possible to vary only the intensity of the light diffused by the lamp.

Lamps of variable light intensity and colouration have been designed, but in their practical adaptation have given rise to considerable disadvantages both with regard to their construction and with regard to their re.- liability in use. 4

The object of the present invention is to provide a lamp in which the colour and tonality of the light diffused can be both varied and adjusted in strength so as to obtain notable aesthetic and practical effects within the environment in which said lamp is placed.

This object is attained by a lamp of variable intensity and colour of the light diffused which is characterised in that it comprises: an external enclosure of transparent material incorporating differently coloured portions; one or more light sources situated internal to said enclosure; means which allow the traversing of the light source or sources in relation to the external enclosure, the variation of the colour and intensity of the light emitted by the light source or sources being determined by their position within the external enclosure and by the different colouration of this latter.

The present invention is better described and illustrated hereinafter by way of example with particular reference to the figures shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial diagrammatical perspective view of a lamp according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial diagrammatical perspective view of a lamp according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a still further embodiment of the lamp according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a tubular member 1 of transparent material, which comprises a series of differently coloured truncal sections 2. A support base 3 for the member I is indicated which also functions as a pedestal for the lamp, and internal to which are housed in suitable seats a winding roller 4 pivoted idly at 5 and two friction rollers 6 and 7 pivoted respectively at 8 and on a pivot 9 to one end of which is fixed a knob 10 which can be manoeuvred from the outside of the pedestal 3. The

metal band 12 is wound on the winding roller 4and passes between the rollers 6 and 7, and a lamp holder 13 is fixed to one end of it by conventional means. Said lamp holder holds a lamp 14 which is suitably screened and supplied by an extendable cable 15 to one end of which is connected a plug 16 for insertion into a suitable electric socket. I

With reference to the aforestated by turning the knob 10 the roller 7 ismade to rotate, with corresponding rotation of the roller 6 by friction, and this causes the metal band 12 passing between the two rollers 6 and 7 to unwind from or wind on the roller 4, according to the direction of rotation of the two rollers 6 and 7.

In consequence of said unwinding or winding of the band 12 the lamp 14 traverses vertically in the two directions inside the member 1.

This vertical traverse makes the lamp 14 take up a position corresponding to the various sections 2 of different colour, which consequently causes the light diffused radially to the member I to be of different colour or varied in strength, by the effect of the screening of the lamp, according to the colouration of the various sections 2.

FIG. 2 shows a tubular member 17 of transparent material comprising circumferentially a series of differently coloured sectors 18 and provided internally with a cylindrical interspace 19.

A support base 20 for the member 17 is shown, internal to which is housed a flexible metal band 21 in a suitable seat of approximately circular crown form (not shown in FIG. 2).

Two rigid rods 22 fixed to the ends of the band 21 are housed diametrically opposed inside the interspace 19.

Two lamp holders 23 fixed to the upper ends of the rods 22 support two suitable screened lamps 24 supplied by two wires 25 enclosed in a cable 26 to the end of which is connected a plug 27 for insertion into a suitable electric socket. Two friction rollers 28 and 29 are housed and pivoted internal to the base 20 and between them passes the metallic band 21. The rollers 28 and 29 may rotate about their own pivots and this rotation is controlled from the outside of the base 20 by means of a knob 30 keyed to the pivot of rotation of the roller 28.

Because of the effect of rotation of the roller 28 and the friction of the roller 29, the band 21 is obliged to traverse in the direction of the arrows 31 or 32 within its seat. The lamps 24 are thus subjected to circumferential traverse in relation to the member 1.

The lamps 24 on traversing take up positions corresponding to the various sectors 18 of different colour, and the light emitted by them radially to the member 17 is of different colour or adjusted in strength according to the position of the lamps in the interspace l9 and the colouration of the various sectors 18.

FIG. 3 shows a member 33 of approximately internally hollow spherical form, of transparent material, which comprises a series of differently coloured sectors 34.

A support base 35 for the member 33 is shown. Two substantially semicircular baffles 36 and 37 with specular surfaces are angularly joined one to the other along a directrix 38 and pivoted so that they can rotate on a pivot 39 in the member 33, said baffles forming a spherical sector of width equal to the width of a coloured sector of the member 33. A lamp holder 40 is fixed to the baffles 36 and 37 and holds a lamp 41 supplied by conventional means.

Rotation of the baffles 36 and 37 about the pivot 39 is controlled from outside the member33 by means of a suitable disc 42 fixed by conventional means to the baffles.

According to the direction of rotation of the baffles 36 and 37, the lamp 41 is subjected to a circumferential rotational movement in the direction either of the arrow 43 or 44, which makes it take up a position corresponding to the various coloured sectors 34.

In consequence the light diffused by it and reflected by the specular surfaces of the baffles 36 and 37 is of different colour according to the position of the baffles and lamp inside the member 33 and the different colouration of the sectors 34.

With reference to the aforementioned, a lamp of variable intensity and colour of light diffused has been provided which is of considerable effect and extreme constructional simplicity, obviating the aforementioned disadvantages and permitting the solution of many problems of aesthetic and practical effect.

The lamp according to the present invention may naturally assume in its practical embodiment forms which are different to those heretofor described and illustrated, and the system for positioning the lamps inside the various enclosures may be modified, and the different colourations of these latter may be obtained by different conventional techniques, such as for example by liquids of different specific gravity and colour introduced into interspaces formed in the enclosures themselves, without leaving the scope of the inventive idea.

What we claim is:

l. A lamp of variable intensity and color comprising a pedestal, an external enclosure of transparent material mounted on said pedestal and incorporating differently colored portions comprising a tubular member of transparent'material in the form of a series of differ ently coloured truncal sections; a metal band wound on a suitable winding roller housed internal to the pedestal of the lamp, said band being able to be unwound from or wound on said winding roller; a light source situated internal to the tubular member and connected to one end of the metal band and supported by said band so that said light source can be traversed longitudinally inside said tubular member in relation to the unwinding or winding of the band from or on said winding roller to cause a variation of the colour and intensity of the light emitted by the light source determined by the position of the light source within the external enclosure and by the different colouration of the truncal sections. 

1. A lamp of variable intensity and color comprising a pedestal, an external enclosure of transparent material mounted on said pedestal and incorporating differently colored portions comprising a tubular member of transparent material in the form of a series of differently coloured truncal sections; a metal band wound on a suitable winding roller housed internal to the pedestal of the lamp, said band being able to be unwound from or wound on said winding roller; a light source situated internal to the tubular member and connected to one end of the metal band and supported by said band so that said light source can be traversed longitudinally inside said tubular member in relation to the unwinding or winding of the band from or on said winding roller to cause a variation of the colour and intensity of the light emitted by the light source determined by the position of the light source within the external enclosure and by the different colouration of the truncal sections. 